Some thoughts and observations heading into Game 3 of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals between the Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards:

• Twenty-four hours later, I still can’t believe what we saw from Roy Hibbert. Funny thing is, his old Georgetown coach, John Thompson III, couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing prior to the breakout game.

“The things me and Roy talked about are not really for public consumption,” Thompson III said at halftime of the Pacers’ Game 2 victory over the Wizards. “But basically, I told him to go back to being Roy. We know what he can do. He knows what he can do. Stop worrying about what everyone else is saying and just be yourself.”

He smiled after Hibbert’s 17-point first half.

“I think he’s out of his slump,” he said.

Nobody is expecting another 28-point, nine-rebound, two-block performance anytime in this series or any other series the Pacers might reach, but now, the Pacers want consistency. A donut followed by a heroic performance followed by another donut isn’t going to get it done against a solid front line that includes Marcin Gortat and Nenê. Hibbert merely has to be solid, especially on the defensive end and rebounding. The points are an added bonus.

After the game, Hibbert was asked how the Wizards might deal with him in the future if he continues to play at this level.

He suggested they might consider double-teaming him. To which I say, “Whoa, big fella, whoa.”

• If I’m the Wizards, I’m feeling extraordinarily good about myself heading back to Washington for Game 3 Friday night.

Not only did they get the split, but they forced the Pacers to play a nearly perfect defensive game in order to pull out a four-point victory at home. Nothing has happened in this series that would suggest the Wizards are overmatched or somehow don’t belong. Think about it: They got a six-point game out of John Wall on 2-of-13 shooting and still lost by just four points.

• Outside of unbeaten Miami, Washington has been the most impressive team this postseason. This group is the real deal, which is why I picked them to beat the Pacers in six games. The backcourt of Wall and Bradley Beal (the next Ray Allen) ranks as one of the best in the league. Trevor Ariza is a pro’s pro, a terrific defender who has made life difficult for Paul George in both games. The front line of Gortat and Nenê are beefy and capable of scoring from several spots on the floor.

• The Wizards’ purported weakness was supposed to be their bench; they were 27th in the league in bench scoring. But Drew Gooden, age 62, has played extraordinarily well in both games. Andre Miller, age 63, continues to play like a guy who has waited all his life for a postseason opportunity like this. Martell Webster gave the Wizards some good minutes in Game 2. And before it’s over, the energetic Trevor Booker will cause the Pacers problems.

• As we mentioned, the Pacers played a nearly perfect defensive game. For all the talk of Roy Hibbert’s breakout performance — and that was the talk of the NBA world — the facts are these: The Pacers stopped the second-chance points at the rim. The Pacers kept the Wizards out of transition, where they like to play with pace and get fast-break points. The Pacers did a strong job of defending the 3-point line after a Game 1 performance when they allowed 10-of-16 shooting to the Wizards.

• George Hill was terrific at both ends, and the Pacers finally played to their identity.

• This may matter to me and my journalistic brethren and not really matter to fans, but let me share this: In all the years I’ve covered sports, David West has emerged as one of the most accommodating and thoughtful interviews I’ve ever encountered. Win or lose, there he is, sitting like a Buddha at his locker, smartly answering question after question, always making a point of looking the interviewer directly in the eye.

When West’s playing days are done, he will make a great coach. Although given his heightened sense of social responsibility, I could see him doing something far more important.

• The playoffs are all about coaching adjustments, and Frank Vogel made an important change heading into Game 2.

Vogel switched George onto Beal, who burned Lance Stephenson in Game 1. He then moved Stephenson onto Trevor Ariza, who had his way from the 3-point line with George in Game 1. Expect this to remain static throughout the playoffs.

• Andrew Bynum is gone and it was like he was never here.

My take: low risk, high reward.

If he could have stayed healthy, he would have been a terrific low-post bench replacement for 12-15 minutes, spelling Hibbert. But he wasn’t. He couldn’t stay healthy. End of story.

There’s talk that Bynum’s arrival sent Hibbert into his funk, specifically because Vogel continually called plays for Bynum while calling very few — or even none — for Hibbert. That might, in fact, be true, but it’s no excuse for Hibbert’s late-season decline. At least it shouldn’t have been an excuse. He’s got to be bigger and better than that.

Look at the way Ian Mahinmi, a true pro, responded to Bynum’s arrival. Since the itinerant center joined the team, Mahinmi, who would have lost his minutes to Bynum, has played some of his best basketball since joining the Pacers.

Bob Kravitz is a columnist for The Indianapolis Star. Call him at (317) 444-6643 or email bob.kravitz@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter: @BKravitz.